35" tires
Thread Starter
JK Freak
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 659
Likes: 1
From: Channahon IL
35" tires
I'm considering upgrading to 35's on my 08 jk x with 2.5 tf springs.
Do I need to do some preventative stuff first on my front axle?
Beefed up tie rod,
axle sleeves,
trusses,
gussets,
etc. first.
I wheel it about 1-2 times per month in the Great Lakes area. Illinois Indiana, Michigan eventually want to get to Moab Colorado etc.
Do I need to do some preventative stuff first on my front axle?
Beefed up tie rod,
axle sleeves,
trusses,
gussets,
etc. first.
I wheel it about 1-2 times per month in the Great Lakes area. Illinois Indiana, Michigan eventually want to get to Moab Colorado etc.
JK Jedi Master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 11,463
Likes: 165
From: Austin <--> Colorado Springs
None of those would be bad to do, but it depends on your budget and needs (and skill of the person doing the welding?)
Gussets would be the least expensive and probably give the most benefit to everyday driving with 35's.
Probably don't need both a truss and sleeves, unless you really want the added strength? Between the two, the truss may have the bigger effect. But I understand that an uninformed installer can do some damage to the housing.
And you could probably wait on a new tierod (or other steering components) until you pretzel your current one.
Gussets would be the least expensive and probably give the most benefit to everyday driving with 35's.
Probably don't need both a truss and sleeves, unless you really want the added strength? Between the two, the truss may have the bigger effect. But I understand that an uninformed installer can do some damage to the housing.
And you could probably wait on a new tierod (or other steering components) until you pretzel your current one.
Thread Starter
JK Freak
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 659
Likes: 1
From: Channahon IL
None of those would be bad to do, but it depends on your budget and needs (and skill of the person doing the welding?)
Gussets would be the least expensive and probably give the most benefit to everyday driving with 35's.
Probably don't need both a truss and sleeves, unless you really want the added strength? Between the two, the truss may have the bigger effect. But I understand that an uninformed installer can do some damage to the housing.
And you could probably wait on a new tierod (or other steering components) until you pretzel your current one.
Gussets would be the least expensive and probably give the most benefit to everyday driving with 35's.
Probably don't need both a truss and sleeves, unless you really want the added strength? Between the two, the truss may have the bigger effect. But I understand that an uninformed installer can do some damage to the housing.
And you could probably wait on a new tierod (or other steering components) until you pretzel your current one.
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 218
Likes: 0
From: Knoxville, TN
You won't know until you break something. Otherwise, just piece of mind and preventative measures. No one can say for certain that YOU will need them for the terrain you wheel and your driving style. Go with your budget and level of comfort in breaking stuff.
Super Moderator
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 11,054
Likes: 85
From: Hendersonville, Tennessee
JK Junkie
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 3,142
Likes: 2
From: Rockwood, TN
If i were you i would definitely go truss and gussets. Easy to install, and adds some good strength. Friend of mine snapped his front D30 in HALF with 35's wheelin. Not saying thats gonna happen to you, but i paid $130 shipped for my Purejeep Truss and gussets. Pretty cheap peace of mind i think. Find a friend with a welder to put em on and you've got a pretty solid axle for 35's.
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JK Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 459
Likes: 0
From: Macon, GA
Funny I see this thread right now as I just left a muffler shop owned by a guy who has a YJ on 38's ford 9"rear and suprisingly a locked D30 up front. No sleeves or gussets anywhere... just chromoly axles and 4.88's.
I was looking at him like he was crazy and asked how long he had been running the setup. He poimts to an old club sticker on the side and says at least 12+years.
Said he's never broken anything as he tries his best not to wheel hop or jump the thing.
From what I can tell from reviews, testimonials, and the "trend" of the D30 being no good with mods........ it all appears to basically to just go back to how your driving characteristics and experience wheeling is .. its that OR like ive said in other axle threads... the JK's D30 must be the weakest D30 ever made even though they are all basically the same. Seems no other vehicles with D30 setups have the same failure rate we read about here on the popular JK based forums.
Just my observations....im honestly thinking there are just as many guys breaking there D30's vs. Guys wheeling D30's with large tire setups and having zero issues... we just dont have the succesful D30 guys jumping on forums talking about how they have never had issues.
I believe with any setup there are issues where breakage is possible. I believe larger axles are without a doubt the better option no matter what.... but as I continue to come across D30 success stories the more im inclined to wait on the axle upgrade and just see when it fails and go from that point on.
I definitely would say that if you are tackling trails like eddie and his crew.... upgrade all day... but if its a daily driver that hits mild trails from time to time like I do.... I will just wheel it till I find the limitations on my parts based on my geography and my skill as an offroader.
Ive been wheeling 35's on my JKU here in the southeast US with no issues on my D30 (so far) for almost 2 years now.
I was looking at him like he was crazy and asked how long he had been running the setup. He poimts to an old club sticker on the side and says at least 12+years.
Said he's never broken anything as he tries his best not to wheel hop or jump the thing.
From what I can tell from reviews, testimonials, and the "trend" of the D30 being no good with mods........ it all appears to basically to just go back to how your driving characteristics and experience wheeling is .. its that OR like ive said in other axle threads... the JK's D30 must be the weakest D30 ever made even though they are all basically the same. Seems no other vehicles with D30 setups have the same failure rate we read about here on the popular JK based forums.
Just my observations....im honestly thinking there are just as many guys breaking there D30's vs. Guys wheeling D30's with large tire setups and having zero issues... we just dont have the succesful D30 guys jumping on forums talking about how they have never had issues.
I believe with any setup there are issues where breakage is possible. I believe larger axles are without a doubt the better option no matter what.... but as I continue to come across D30 success stories the more im inclined to wait on the axle upgrade and just see when it fails and go from that point on.
I definitely would say that if you are tackling trails like eddie and his crew.... upgrade all day... but if its a daily driver that hits mild trails from time to time like I do.... I will just wheel it till I find the limitations on my parts based on my geography and my skill as an offroader.
Ive been wheeling 35's on my JKU here in the southeast US with no issues on my D30 (so far) for almost 2 years now.
Thread Starter
JK Freak
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 659
Likes: 1
From: Channahon IL
Funny I see this thread right now as I just left a muffler shop owned by a guy who has a YJ on 38's ford 9"rear and suprisingly a locked D30 up front. No sleeves or gussets anywhere... just chromoly axles and 4.88's.
I was looking at him like he was crazy and asked how long he had been running the setup. He poimts to an old club sticker on the side and says at least 12+years.
Said he's never broken anything as he tries his best not to wheel hop or jump the thing.
From what I can tell from reviews, testimonials, and the "trend" of the D30 being no good with mods........ it all appears to basically to just go back to how your driving characteristics and experience wheeling is .. its that OR like ive said in other axle threads... the JK's D30 must be the weakest D30 ever made even though they are all basically the same. Seems no other vehicles with D30 setups have the same failure rate we read about here on the popular JK based forums.
Just my observations....im honestly thinking there are just as many guys breaking there D30's vs. Guys wheeling D30's with large tire setups and having zero issues... we just dont have the succesful D30 guys jumping on forums talking about how they have never had issues.
I believe with any setup there are issues where breakage is possible. I believe larger axles are without a doubt the better option no matter what.... but as I continue to come across D30 success stories the more im inclined to wait on the axle upgrade and just see when it fails and go from that point on.
I definitely would say that if you are tackling trails like eddie and his crew.... upgrade all day... but if its a daily driver that hits mild trails from time to time like I do.... I will just wheel it till I find the limitations on my parts based on my geography and my skill as an offroader.
Ive been wheeling 35's on my JKU here in the southeast US with no issues on my D30 (so far) for almost 2 years now.
I was looking at him like he was crazy and asked how long he had been running the setup. He poimts to an old club sticker on the side and says at least 12+years.
Said he's never broken anything as he tries his best not to wheel hop or jump the thing.
From what I can tell from reviews, testimonials, and the "trend" of the D30 being no good with mods........ it all appears to basically to just go back to how your driving characteristics and experience wheeling is .. its that OR like ive said in other axle threads... the JK's D30 must be the weakest D30 ever made even though they are all basically the same. Seems no other vehicles with D30 setups have the same failure rate we read about here on the popular JK based forums.
Just my observations....im honestly thinking there are just as many guys breaking there D30's vs. Guys wheeling D30's with large tire setups and having zero issues... we just dont have the succesful D30 guys jumping on forums talking about how they have never had issues.
I believe with any setup there are issues where breakage is possible. I believe larger axles are without a doubt the better option no matter what.... but as I continue to come across D30 success stories the more im inclined to wait on the axle upgrade and just see when it fails and go from that point on.
I definitely would say that if you are tackling trails like eddie and his crew.... upgrade all day... but if its a daily driver that hits mild trails from time to time like I do.... I will just wheel it till I find the limitations on my parts based on my geography and my skill as an offroader.
Ive been wheeling 35's on my JKU here in the southeast US with no issues on my D30 (so far) for almost 2 years now.
JK Junkie
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 3,142
Likes: 2
From: Rockwood, TN
Depends on your wheeling. But if you do that, you will have to regear your rear axle to match the new front (rubi most likely has 4.10, if you have 4.10 now, then you would be fine). In all honesty you might be fine wheeling 35’s or 37’s carefully on a stock d30. But like I said, for $130 you can get a beefy front truss and some gussets that will significantly strengthen your front axle. Easy decision in my eyes.